Essential Software for Renewable Energy Companies

Publicly Accessible Energy Storage Systems (ESS) Simulation Price-taker models are suitable for small-scale ESS as their capacity does not influence market prices or system dispatch. This post highlights DOE price-taker valuation tools. 🟦 1) QuESt  QuESt is a free, open-source Python application suite for energy storage simulation and analysis, developed at Sandia National Laboratories. It includes three interconnected applications:  1- QuESt Data Manager,  2-QuESt Valuation, and  3-QuESt BTM, Eligible technologies include BESS (Li-ion, advanced lead-acid, vanadium redox), flywheels, and PV, using a shared model for different BESS and flywheel types based on their parameters. 🟦 2) Renewable Energy Integration and Optimization (REoptTM)  The REopt™ platform, developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), optimizes energy systems for various applications, recommending the best mix of renewable energy, conventional generation, and energy storage to achieve cost savings, resilience, and performance goals. Eligible technologies include: PV, wind, CHP, electric and thermal energy storage, absorption chillers, and existing heating and cooling systems. 🟦 3) Distributed Energy Resources Customer Adoption Model (DER-CAM)  DER-CAM is a decision support tool from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) designed to optimize DER investments for buildings and multienergy microgrids. Eligible technologies include conventional generators, CHP units, wind and solar PV, solar thermal, batteries, electric vehicles, thermal storage, heat pumps, and central heating and cooling systems. 🟦 4) System Advisor Model (SAM) SAM is a techno-economic computer model that evaluates the performance and financial viability of renewable energy projects. It includes performance models for various systems such as PV (with optional battery storage), concentrating solar power, solar water heating, wind, geothermal, and biomass, and a generic model for comparison with conventional systems. Eligible technology types focus on electrochemical ESS, supporting lead-acid, Li-ion, vanadium redox flow, and all iron flow batteries. Users can also model custom battery types by specifying their voltage, current, and capacity. SAM offers detailed modelling of battery cells, power converters, and factors like degradation, voltage variation, and thermal properties. 🟦 5) Energy Storage Evaluation Tool (ESETTM) ESETTM is a suite of modules developed at PNNL that allows utilities, regulators, and researchers to model and evaluate various ESSs. ESETTM features a modular design for ease of use and currently includes five modules for different ESS types, such as BESSs, pumped-storage hydropower, hydrogen energy storage, storage-enabled microgrids, and virtual batteries. Some applications also include distributed generators and photovoltaics (PV). Source: see post image. Link to the modellers: in the comment section This post is for educational purposes only.

I got asked this yesterday by a #solar installer : "We are at ~$30M in annual revenue with 120 full-time employees. We use NetSuite as our CRM and ERP. We currently use Aurora for our sales designs and AutoCAD for our designs. Our proposal tool and project field management are customer inhouse excel / Google Sheets. We want to explore upgrading our Proposal Tool, Project/Field Management, and Customer Experience software. Who are the main players for these parts of our #SoftwareStack?" What did I answered with? See below. "To answer your question: For proposal tools, if you're already using Aurora Solar for design, then they also have a proposal component as well. The other one that is free for installers is OpenSolar. The 3 most critical things you want in a proposal tool are: 1) It can integrate with your CRM (Netsuite) 2) It creates a presentation view of the proposal that is visually appealing and ultra simple for the customer to understand 3) It integrates with the lenders that you currently use For Project/Field Management, I break this down into 2 parts (1) Project management for the back-office team and (2) Field apps for the crew. For Project management look into Scoop Solar.  #Monday.com might work too though your company might be on the bigger side of most companies that use it. However it's a big and good step up from Google Sheets. The most critical thing you want in a PM tool is that it's easy for your team to use. I'm sure that's one of the reasons why you're not using Netsuite for project management.  For field apps for your crew to take photos and log end of day reports, I recommend Device Magic. I've heard CompanyCam is good as well. Ease of use on mobile devices and integrations with your document system are key requirements. For Customer Experience, I only recommend Bodhi® for solar installers. GTR is a competitor of ours though. Key consideration in this area is if it delivers the outcome to your business that you're aiming for. This primarily will be freeing up your operations team's time and lower cancellation rates followed by improving marketing metrics like Google review scores and referrals." ---------- What do you think? Do you agree with my assessment? What would you recommend this installer? . . . #solarsoftware #solarpros #solarsales #residentialsolar #software

If there is one thing I have learned in 25 years of working in competitive energy markets it is that a capable and agile billing, data management and customer care platform, deployed within rigorous security and process bounds, is absolutely vital to a successful energy company. I am not talking about QuickBooks or the latest spreadsheet. Nor am I referencing asset management platforms or even the traditional utility billing systems. None of these were built with the serious intent of collecting renewable contract revenues. Capable renewable energy billing platforms don't just invoice and keep track of receivables. They optimize and accelerate and sometimes earn revenues (see IL ABP). They prevent churn, and they allow companies to compete at a higher level. They acquire billing determinants reliably, and they track the production, monetary value, allocation, and payment for all kWh, functions which keep customers satisfied and in a paying mood. It doesn't stop there however. Agile billing systems allow for streamlined and less risky market entry activities, and then provide the ability to contract for and collect revenue in dozens of utility service territories. They also provide the ability to price differentiate (fixed, discounted, indexed, algorithmic), and provide more value (see below). All of this adds up to more contracted and actualized revenue, less risk, and a more mature and competitive business. https://lnkd.in/gB_CzuRC